News Tips Letters to Editor Subscriptions Classified Ads Legal Notices Contact Info

If you’ve ever made an extra-large batch of enchiladas, you know to let the pan cool for a while before doing much of anything with it. The cheesy goodness needs time to set and solidify.

But it’s approaching noon, and Kim Estey and Toshiko Carlos have precious little time to spare portioning and vacuum-sealing the 24 lunches, bound for Hood River valley’s Meals on Wheels clients. So it’s a spatula of still-steaming goo with a dollop of cheese and sauce on top, a tong of salad and a spoon of rice sealed in a TV-dinner-like cardboard container with a side order of fresh brownies and it’s good to go.

The ladies make quick work of assembling the meals, and with volunteer drivers standing by. As soon as the insulated coolers are ready, it’s off to the races to deliver lunch while it’s still hot.

Although the program is designed for older citizens who have a hard time getting to the store or cooking for themselves every day, there are no prerequisites to receive the meals.

“It’s $4; that’s all we ask,” said Collice Sinclair, Hood River Valley Adult Center executive director. “That’s the same price as a lunch here, which the center provides to the public five days a week.”

Hood River’s Meals on Wheels program has been delivering the doorstep lunches five days a week for more than 20 years, and for most who have been on the giving and receiving end of the program, it’s about a lot more than just delivering food.

“It’s very gratifying to be involved,” said longtime Hood River resident (and former Hood River News editor) Wally Eakin, who has volunteered as a driver for the last six years. “I’m delivering meals now to people I worked with over the years. One person I deliver to used to be my boss at the food bank when I volunteered there. I feel that it really is a service worth doing.”

For some clients, a visit from a Meals on Wheels volunteer might be the only person they see during the day, which means the service is more than a simple delivery.

“It’s hard to keep on schedule sometimes,” Eakin said. “It’s easy to get talking to people on my route. Sometimes I’m the only person they see to during the day, so they really look forward it.”

“Our volunteers provide clients with companionship and a warm, friendly smile when they arrive at the door,” Sinclair said. “In some cases this is the only contact they may have with the outside world each day. If we can visit clients on a regular basis it’s a great way of checking in on them to make sure everything is okay.”

In 2000, the Hood River senior center made about 70 lunches a day, half of which were served at the center and the half delivered through the Meals on Wheels. Today the program is delivering 20-percent fewer meals, but the need is almost certainly higher than it was 10 years ago.

“We know there are a lot more in the community who could really use the service, and we are looking for those people.” Sinclair said. “A couple of the biggest roadblocks are community awareness and potential clients having a hard time accepting the help, or admitting that they need help.”

At $4 a meal, the price has remained affordable despite much higher costs to run to the program. In 2000 it was $2.50 a meal, which means an average increase of 15 cents a year. But in 2000, the majority of supplies for the meals were donated or came from the local food bank. Today the Adult Center estimates spending $2,000 a month on food.

“Once in a while we get fruit or vegetables donated, but we pretty much have to buy it all now,” Sinclair said. “The program currently loses money each month, which utilizes funds from the center’s other fundraising efforts. If we could serve about 100 meals a day I think we’d be at the point of just about breaking even.”

For some, even $4 a day is too much.

The Adult Center is working on new plan to help provide free meals to senior shut-ins who can not afford Meals on Wheels. With the help of an $8,400 grant awarded this month from the Hood River Lions Foundation Trust, the center is working to enlist up to 40 clients for a one-year pilot program to be started in 2011.

Get involved

“I know we have a lot of people in this community with a passion for helping,” Sinclair said. “There are so many ways to get involved with helping our senior citizens. Whether through volunteering as a driver, helping out in the kitchen or donating clothes to our thrift store (proceeds go to Meals on Wheels). The senior center is always in need of extra hands.”

Becoming a Meals on Wheels driver is easy; all you need is a reliable vehicle, a reliable schedule and a nice warm smile to give to folks at their door. Even one day a week is a big help.

Monetary, tax-deductable donations are, of course, always gladly accepted.

For more information about how to be on the giving or receiving end of the program, contact Sinclair at the Adult Center: 541-386-2060.